Global Dive Team - Fabrice Dudenhofer
Fabrice Dudenhofer
Location: Marseille, France
Occupation: Professional Underwater Photographer & Reporter
Scuba Diving Since: 2007
Favorite Local Dive: Archipel de Riou, Marseille, France
Favorite Dive Location: La Ciotat, France
An Interview with Fabrice
Why did you decide to take the giant stride into the oceans?
I am originally from the South of France and since I was very young, I have always been close to and attracted by the ‘Big Blue,’ the Mediterranean Sea. I am also part of the generation that was influenced by the documentaries of Captain Cousteau. So my love for the sea and my thirst for discovery have always pushed me to travel and explore the oceans of the world.
How has diving changed your life?
Thanks to diving, I quickly felt like an explorer. For me everything was new and synonymous with exploration. A bit like a mountaineer, who absolutely wants to see what is hidden behind the mountain!
What kind of diving do you like to do?
I don't think I have a particular favorite ‘kind’ of dive. Or actually I do! I like all kinds of dives: from the shore, in the blue, at night, along a drop off in Marseille covered with gorgonians, on a wreck, etc. I like all types of dives from the moment I am diving with my camera. Through my activity and my collaborations with magazines, among others, I try to illustrate as best as I can, what I see underwater, whether it is an animal encounter or an underwater landscape. I like to tell a story about a destination, a story about a dive, through my images.
Tell us about one of the most amazing experiences you have had underwater?
During a recent documentary trip in Baja California, Mexico, I was lucky to have had multiple underwater encounters, each one as incredible as the other. Off Bahia Magdalena, we observed marlins and sea lions hunting in sardine baitballs, which we spotted from the surface, thanks to the frigate birds flying above. We also saw dolphin fish, Mobula rays and two species of whales. It was not a diving trip but an underwater photo safari where each dive had its own surprises. It was a rich and adrenaline-filled experience.
Where are some of your favorite places underwater?
I live in Marseille and I am particularly fond of diving around or off the Riou archipelago. It's my garden, in a way... For a more exotic location, I really like Mexico for the diversity of the dives and the amazing encounters that you have there. Japan also impressed me a lot. I have made some amazing dives in rivers there, in search of giant salamanders, as well as in the sea. I was able to photograph fascinating fish, such as the Kobudai (Semicossyphus reticulatus), Asian Sheepshead Wrasse, or the White spotted puffer fish (Torquigener albomaculosus) which draws circular nests, measuring two meters (6ft) in diameter in the sand. Only a Japanese fish can do that!
What is your advice to someone considering diving?
To do it without further delay, but to choose your diving center/dive school well. It is important to dive with qualified people but also, and especially, with passionate divers. Sometimes it happens that we forget to transmit the passion of diving by concentrating only on the technique. I think it is essential to educate the eyes of new divers, in order to make them aware of their environment, to encourage them to want to continue diving and to also protect the oceans.
What would you tell people about the oceans?
It is precisely that we must take care of them and that all of us, no matter what our level, have an important role to play in their preservation. I am convinced that by showing the beauty of the oceans, we can raise awareness of their importance among a maximum number of people. Let's not forget the importance of the oceans: they produce between 50 and 75% of the oxygen we breathe.
What does diving mean to you?
Diving has become my life. I decided to make it my profession as soon as I put my head under water. I started by working in a specialized dive store, Le Vieux Plongeur, then I became an instructor and finally an underwater photographer. It's true that I can't imagine not diving. I am still as passionate and eager to discover as I was on my very first day diving.
Why have you chosen SCUBAPRO?
I am very proud to be equipped with Scubapro equipment because it means having quality, reliable and comfortable equipment to accompany me on all my trips, whatever the conditions.
Check Out Fabrice's Website: fabricedudenhofer.com
Add Fabrice on Facebook: Fabrice Dudenhofer
Follow Fabrice on Instagram: @fabricedudenhofer